US2014081877A1PendingUtilityA1
Methods and systems for calculating energy credits for materials
Est. expirySep 20, 2032(~6.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
G06Q 30/018G06Q 10/30Y02P90/845Y02W90/00
53
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Claims
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing an energy credit for a material are disclosed. A material may be provided. A total carbon content in the material is determined to provide a total carbon count. The total carbon count is associated with an intrinsic energy score for the material that is based on the total carbon count. An acquired character energy score based on an environmental cost of an acquired character of the material is determined. An energy credit for the material is determined based on the intrinsic energy score and the acquired character energy score.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A method of providing an energy credit for a material, the method comprising:
determining a total carbon content in the material to provide a total carbon count; associating the total carbon count with an intrinsic energy score for the material, wherein the intrinsic energy score is based on the total carbon count; determining an acquired character energy score based on an environmental cost of an acquired character of the material; and determining an energy credit for the material based on the intrinsic energy score and the acquired character energy score.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the total carbon content comprises a weight of carbon in the material, a volume of carbon in the material, a number of moles of carbon in the material, a total number of carbon atoms in the material, or a combination thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the total carbon content in the material comprises:
homogenizing the material to provide a homogenized material having a total weight (w); identifying a weight percentage of carbon (p) in the homogenized material; and determining the total carbon content in the material using one of the following formulae:
total
carbon
content
=
w
*
p
,
and
total
carbon
content
=
w
*
p
molecular
weight
of
carbon
.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the total carbon content in the material comprises:
homogenizing the material to provide a homogenized material having a total volume (v); identifying a volume percentage of carbon (r) in the homogenized material; and determining the total carbon content in the material using the following formula:
total carbon content= v*r.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying a volume percentage of carbon in the homogenized material comprises analyzing a portion of the homogenized material to determine the volume percentage of carbon in the portion.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises the energy consumed during transportation of the material.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises an amount of energy consumed to produce the chemical composition of the material.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises an amount of environmental pollution resulting from producing the chemical composition of the material.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining an energy credit for the material comprises subtracting the acquired character energy score from the intrinsic energy score to provide the energy credit for the material.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing the material to provide a chemical composition of the material.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the material to provide a chemical composition comprises using one or more of the following to determine the chemical composition of the material: elemental analysis, gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, liquid chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is a virgin material.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is a recycled material.
14 . A system for providing an energy credit for a material, the system comprising:
a processing device; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processing device, wherein the computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:
determine a total carbon content in a material to provide a total carbon count,
associate the total carbon count with an intrinsic energy score for the material, wherein the intrinsic energy score is proportional to the total carbon count,
determine an acquired character energy score based on an acquired character of the material, wherein the acquired character energy score is proportional to an environmental cost of the acquired character, and
determine an energy credit for the material based on the intrinsic energy score and the acquired character energy score.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the total carbon content comprises a weight of carbon in the material, a volume of carbon in the material, a number of moles of carbon in the material, a total number of carbon atoms in the material, or a combination thereof.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to determine the total carbon content in the material comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:
identify a weight percentage of carbon (p) in a homogenized material having a total weight (w); and determine the total carbon content in the material using one of the following formulae:
total
carbon
content
=
w
*
p
,
and
total
carbon
content
=
w
*
p
molecular
weight
of
carbon
.
17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to determine the total carbon content in the material comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:
identifying a volume percentage of carbon (r) in a homogenized material having a total volume (v); and determining the total carbon content in the material using the following formula:
total carbon content= v*r.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to identify a volume percentage of carbon in the homogenized material comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed cause the processing device to analyze a portion of the homogenized material to determine the volume percentage of carbon in the portion.
19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises the energy consumed during transportation of the material.
20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises an amount of energy consumed to produce the chemical composition of the material.
21 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the environmental cost of the acquired character comprises an amount of environmental pollution resulting from producing the chemical composition of the material.
22 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to determine an energy credit for the material comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to subtract the acquired character energy score from the intrinsic energy score to provide the energy credit for the material.
23 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:
analyzing the material to provide a chemical composition of the material.
24 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising an input device in operable communication with the processing device, and wherein analyzing the material to provide a chemical composition comprises using the input device to determine the chemical composition of the material.
25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the input device comprises one or more of the following: a combustion analysis device, a gas chromatograph, an elemental analyzer, a mass spectrometer, an infrared spectrometer, an ultraviolet spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, a liquid chromatograph, and a nuclear resonance imager.
26 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the material is a virgin material.
27 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the material is a recycled material.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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